Author Stephen King on the set of NIGHT FLIER.
© 1998 New Line Cinema
July 8 July 14: Stephen King on the Tube
By: Sonia MansfieldDate: Monday, July 08, 2002
Apparently completely dominating the book world isn't enough for Stephen King anymore. Now he's all over the damn TV.
There have been plenty of King-based TV movies and miniseries in the past. IT, THE STAND, THE TOMMYKNOCKERS, and THE LANGOLIERS. There was even that miniseries remake of THE SHINING starring that guy from WINGS.
But those things were spaced out over like a decade or something. Now King is everywhere. Yikes! It's like something out of one of his novels.
You might recall that earlier this year King helmed that craptastic six-hour miniseries ROSE RED for ABC and the super lame miniseries FIRESTARTER: REKINDLED on the Sci Fi Channel.
Well, that is, unless you are like me. I've successfully erased those miniseries from my mind with some very expensive hypnosis.
So anyway, the TV series THE DEAD ZONE - based on the King book and movie did better, scoring with TV critics (like me) and viewers.
But of course, the Stephen King train doesn't stop there. Now, NBC is getting on board with a miniseries based on his book CARRIE.
I guess NBC execs don't care that CARRIE has already been filmed once in 1976 with Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. And then there was that sequel THE RAGE: CARRIE 2, which was really scary... well, scary bad anyway.
So, here's my big question: You think a miniseries based on CHRISTINE is in the works?
Come on, a car that kills people. That's ratings gold, right?!
What do you think? E-mail me at RedSonia@cinescape.com.
Now, let me break down the week for you. Oh, and as always, check your local listings.
Monday, JuLY 8
Did you John Billingsley as Dr. Phlox on ENTERPRISE © 2001 UPN
If I made a list of the top 10 guys I want to have sex with Benicio Del Toro would definitely be on that list, which is why I don't want to miss one second of his appearance on INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO (Bravo, 8 p.m.).
Sara goes after a serial killer who has a thing for chicks' fingernails (weirdo) in tonight's all-new WITCHBLADE (TNT, 9 p.m.).
A Goonie Alert! Sean Astin along with Bonnie Hunt, Ray Romano and Kevin James chow down with host Jon Favreau in DINNER FOR FIVE (IFC, 8 p.m.).
TUESDAY, july 9
Riley stops by for a visit and some slayin' in tonight's repeat of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN, 8 p.m.).
Bo Duke (i.e. Jonathan) is unknowingly poisoned by the pollen of a stolen plant that was created with the DNA of an extinct flower and he begins to act like a damn crazy man in this rerun of SMALLVILLE (WB, 9 p.m.)
Encore has the animated movie BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM at 8 p.m. I know how much you guys love BATMAN movies.
My Personal Pick For The Night Alert! My latest addiction moves into primetime tonight since TNT is airing the LAW & ORDER/HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET crossover episodes starting at 8 p.m. YES!
WEDNESDAY, july 10
The fascination An atmospheric moment from the pilot episode of SMALLVILLE. © 2001 The WB
Sited by fans as one of the best episodes of the season, this repeat of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN, 9 p.m.) finds the Scoobs without their memories due to a botched spell by Willow. My favorite part is Giles and Spike just assuming they are related because of the British accents. What a couple of stupid gits!
CBS begins its reign of terror tonight! BIG BROTHER 3 starts tonight at 9 p.m. and airs every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday night until September. Consider yourself warned.
Yay! I've got mail. I've got mail. I've got mail. Yay! If you don't get that joke then I suggest you check out Comedy Central's two-hour block of CRANK YANKERS, starting at 8 p.m. followed by an all-new SOUTH PARK at 10 p.m.
THURSDAY, july 11
One of the stories in tonight's BEYOND BELIEF: FACT OR FICTION (Fox, 8 p.m.) includes a young man about to make the biggest mistake of his life when his father mysteriously appears from 500 miles away to stop him. What's the mistake?! Marrying Anna Nicole Smith?! Getting a mullet?! What?!
Nick spends the night with a prostitute who is later found murdered in her house and then becomes the chief suspect in this rerun of CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS, 9 p.m.). Hey, that's what Nick gets for whorin' around.
ABC has got STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT at 8 p.m.
BBC America has got two episodes of MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS starting at 9 p.m. But just so you know, neither one contains the Ministry of Silly Walks. Damn!
FRIDAY, july 12
Ladies and gentlemen, if you are not already a fan then allow me to introduce KIM POSSIBLE, a new cartoon on The Disney Channel at 6:30 p.m. Kim is a high school student who just so happens to save the world from evil-doers in her spare time. It's like the cartoon version of BUFFY or ALIAS, but not as dark, of course. I mean, it is the Disney Channel.
The SG-1 team investigates a sleepy seaside town whose residents harbor an insidious secret in tonight's STARGATE SG-1 (Sci Fi, 8 p.m.). You wanna know the secret? It's the town DAWSON'S CREEK is filmed in. I'd wanna keep that quiet too.
A new nemesis takes aim at the Moya crew for harboring a wanted assassin in tonight's FARSCAPE (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.).
Check out an all-new ODYSSEY 5 on Showtime at 10 p.m.
Jeremiah and Kurdy are on the trail of the traitor and the Brothers of the Apocalypse, who know the secret to the Big Death and how important Thunder Mountain is to the future of the planet in tonight's all-new JEREMIAH (Showtime, 10:45 p.m.). Thunder Mountain? Isn't that a ride at Disneyland? Oh wait, that's Splash Mountain. My bad.
SATURDAY, july 13
YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (ABC, 8 P.M.). Ummm, really? Twice? That's not what I've been taught.
PEARL HARBOR is on tonight at 8 p.m. on Starz. I think my favorite part is when hunky Ben and Josh single-handedly win the war. I'm kidding, of course. My favorite part of the movie was when it was over.
Cinemax has got THE HIGHLANDER: THE FINAL DIMENSION at 8 p.m. I mention it because I know how much you guys love all stuff HIGHLANDER.
Get your 'toon on! The Cartoon Network has got THE POWERPUFF GIRLS followed by SAMURAI JACK, starting at 9 p.m.
SUNDAY, july 14
You had me at "Hello." Fox has got JERRY MAGUIRE at 7 p.m.
The gang is barricaded in the hotel as enemies looking to kill Angel's son swarm the place in this repeat of ANGEL (WB, 9 p.m.). Man, I would love to be barricaded in a hotel with Angel...
Quentin Tarantino Alert! The Q-man breaks into SD-6 headquarters in this repeat of ALIAS (ABC, 9 p.m.).
UPN has got a rerun of ENTERPRISE at 8 p.m. while the WB has got a rerun of CHARMED at 8 p.m.
The Cartoon HARVEY BIRDMAN: ATTORNEY AT LAW on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim © 2002 Cartoon Network
A series of disturbing images at the mall convinces Johnny a tragedy is imminent in tonight's all-new THE DEAD ZONE at 10 p.m. on USA. I have the same images when I go the mall. It's called "trying clothes on."
Remote Patrol is our weekly Television column.
